Holly Alison Cigarette Interview

Holly Alison Sets The Tone For 2019 With New Single 'Cigarette'

Australian singer/songwriter Holly Alison is back with her new single and music video 'Cigarette'.

Having gained recognition from the Australian music industry, Holly brings a new pop anthem that solidifies her diverse emotional and uplifting style.

'Cigarette' was written after her rather emotionally abusive relationship. It was sort of a breather to let off all that steam and still, stand proud and upbeat about it. As Holly affirms with a lot of wisdom and maturity, "This song was a way of getting my confidence back as an individual. I hope that it can teach people to be resilient and step out of a really toxic time with a lighthearted outlook on everything."

Interview with Holly Alison

Question: How would you describe your music?

Holly Alison: My music is a blend of pop/electronic/RnB. I often get told my music is similar to Lauv with a Blackbear beat, I was pretty happy with that compliment.


Question: What was the inspiration behind the track, Cigarette?

Holly Alison: I came out of quite an emotionally abusive relationship and I wanted to write a song that ended the chapter in a light hearted fun way. It is quite a passive aggressive song which I think a lot of people can relate to. Cigarette is just a metaphor I used for the song. Break ups are always a grieving process and at the time I wrote this song I was realising how much better I deserved and how badly I had been treated and it just worked to write a song that was sort of throwing my new found happiness in their face (laughs)!


Question: What is the main message you hope to spread with the track, Cigarette?

Holly Alison: I wanted the song to teach people to be resilient and find themselves again and at the same time I didn't want the song to feel too serious or dark because emotional abuse can be quite detrimental to your health. I want people to realise their worth and understand that it's not okay to let somebody treat you terribly.


Question: Can you tell us about the creation of the video clip?

Holly Alison: The video clip was a long time coming! It was the main reason I had held onto the song for so long. When I first sat down with my videographer to sort out the clip he already had an idea in mind to make the clip really sassy and Dua Lipa style. We wanted dancers, flirting and a "revenge girlfriend", we wanted the cool car and the smoke and lights. We initially wanted three different scenes, a party scene, dancers with the car and a party scene in a bathroom. It was super hard to find locations and organise people so we cut it down to two scenes. The car scene was in a warehouse and the party scene was actually filmed in my pool area with a bunch of friends around. It was hilarious filming when people were "dancing" in the background sober (laughs). I also initially had a friend who was going to be my "revenge" girl in the film clip, however; as my life was progressing I met my NOW girlfriend (Kelsey) who became the girl in the clip and it was the best decision because it was so much more natural on screen. It took a bit of convincing but I am stoked she is in it and so is she. Couldn't be any more relevant either with how well I am treated.


Question: Which music/artists are you currently listening to?

Holly Alison: The main artists I listen to are; Lauv, Blackbear, Khalid, Loud Luxury, Billie Eilish and Glades.


Question: What or who was your inspiration to go into the music industry?

Holly Alison: Honestly, I started singing way back when Avril Lavigne was massive. I loved how cool and carefree she was and I used to dress up like her (laughs). Besides that, my family and friends have always supported me with my music.


Question: If you could collaborate with another artist, who would it be?

Holly Alison: At this point in time, definitely Lauv. The way he writes is awesome and I love the style of music he is putting out. I always tell stories through my music and the way he does the same thing is seriously so cool.


Question: What has been your favourite part of becoming a music artist?

Holly Alison: Definitely being able to express myself and who I am as a person. Being able to tell my story through song is the best outlet, it is always good to find a way to deal with emotions and the things life throws at you. I also love that I have had the opportunity to work with really cool people and build different relationships with them.

Question: What five things are required for a happy healthy and enjoyable life?

Holly Alison: For me? I definitely need my family, friends, music, sport and girlfriend. For other people it may be a little different but if I didn't have those things life wouldn't be as enjoyable. Some people may not know this about me but I am a dual Australian representative for Karate and Oztag and without sport I would struggle. I had a big knee injury in 2017 and was out for 13 months and my mental health definitely suffered! I also think making memories with the people you love is a massive part of having an enjoyable life.


Question: Can you share your socials?

Holly Alison: facebook.com/hollyalisonofficial
twitter/com/hollyalison_
@hollyalisonofficial
Spotify


Interview by Brooke Hunter